WARRIORS: THE LIGHT TO DESTINY BOOK ONE: DROUGHT
by Tiny Author Life xx
Summary: The time of the four Clans is harder than ever - the Clans' borders are growing weaker and weaker, prey begins to disappear from sight and cats lay dying in camp. Meanwhile, the sun begins to brighten each and every day, soon causing something that the Clans cannot fix with a fight or medicine: A drought without end. Rated T.
1. Allegiances & Prologue

I'm sure you've all seen this and are flipping out right now, so allow me to say:

**I have returned from my super, duper long hiatus. I hope you all didn't miss me too bad!**

Ah, yes. It feels odd to be back, really XD.

Well anyways, I'm **_so _**happy to be back! I've missed you guys :D I hope you're all doing okay and that my absence hasn't made you forget who I am XD.

Yarrow Bush is literally _**dead**_ for ideas right now, so I've decided to post this one for enjoyment.

Regards,

Author xx

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**This story is based off of my fictional Clans - AirClan, NorthClan, SouthClan, EastClan, and WestClan. They used to be the Clans I had as a ****role-play, but it's since been dead for about three years now...**

**Without further ado, here we go!**

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**ALLEGIANCES - SKYCLAN**

LEADER: Birdstar - cream and brown tom, amber eyes

DEPUTY: Larkbeak - gray tabby tom with long muzzle, green eyes

MEDICINE CAT: Grassclaw - brown tabby she-cat, yellow eyes

WARRIORS: Vinetwist - brown tabby tom, green eyes

Frecklespot - white she-cat with dark gray blotches on tail, yellow eyes  
**APPRENTICE, APPLEPAW**

Yellowfrost - golden tom, amber eyes

Pollendust - gray tabby she-cat, blue eyes

Duststreak - dark brown tom, amber eyes

Froststorm - white tom, blue eyes

Coaldust - black she-cat with white paws and muzzle, yellow eyes

Airstep - cream she-cat with dark tabby stripes on paws, light blue eyes

APPRENTICES: Applepaw - mottled brown she-cat, blue eyes

QUEENS: Nightbird - black she-cat, blue eyes (expecting Yellowfrost's kits)

Sharpwind - brown she-cat, yellow eyes (expecting Duststreak's kits)

ELDERS: Redspark - reddish-tabby she-cat, blue eyes

Windstep - white tom with gray paws, yellow eyes

**xXxXxXx**

**THUNDERCLAN**

LEADER: Hickorystar - black tom with white muzzle, yellow eyes

DEPUTY: Northclaw - dark brown tom, green eyes

MEDICINE CAT: Tornwing - gray tabby tom with a torn ear, amber eyes  
**APPRENTICE - THORNPAW**

WARRIORS: Heatstep - pale ginger tom with dark ginger paws, amber eyes

Lapshore - blue-gray she-cat, blue eyes  
**APPRENTICE - THISTLEPAW**

Tallstem - long-legged pale brown tom, yellow eyes

Gorsewing - pale gray she-cat, yellow eyes

Pinestep - mottled brown she-cat, green eyes

Redstripe - white tom with dark red stripe down back, amber eyes

Flightbird - brown-and-white she-cat, blue eyes

APPRENTICES: Thornpaw - pale golden she-cat, blue eyes

Thistlepaw - spike-furred gray-and-white tom, green eyes

QUEENS: Quietflame - gray she-cat, yellow eyes (mother to Tallstem's kit: Littlekit - brown she-cat, blue eyes)

Frostwind - white she-cat, green eyes (expecting Heatstep's kits)

ELDERS: Shatterstep - brown tabby tom with white paws, green eyes

**XxXxXxXxX**

**RIVERCLAN**

LEADER: Duckstar - golden-and-white tom, amber eyes

DEPUTY: Pebbleskip - dark gray tom, green eyes**  
****APPRENTICE - SPLASHPAW**

MEDICINE CAT: Rushingwater - mottled brown she-cat, yellow eyes

WARRIORS: Streampool - pale gray she-cat, green eyes

Timberfall - dark brown tom, yellow eyes

Fogstep - pale brown tabby she-cat with white paws, amber eyes

Sharkclaw - large dark gray tom, yellow eyes  
**APPRENTICE - SANDPAW**

Minnowsplash - blue-gray she-cat, green eyes

Lampreylight - pale gray tom, amber eyes

APPRENTICES: Splashpaw - mottled gray tom, yellow eyes

Sandpaw - golden brown tom with white chest and paws, blue eyes

QUEENS: Southbreeze - blue-gray she-cat with white paws and ring on tail, amber eyes (mother of Sharkclaw's kits: Otterkit - brown tabby she-cat, amber eyes; Curlewkit - blue-gray tom, blue eyes; and Podkit - pale gray she-cat with white rings around eyes, amber eyes)

Reedrush - brown tabby she-cat, blue eyes (expecting Timberfall's kits)

ELDERS: Featherdust - pale gray she-cat, yellow eyes

Mudstreak - brown tabby tom, amber eyes

**xXxXxXx**

**WINDCLAN**

LEADER: Moorstar - brown tabby she-cat, yellow eyes

DEPUTY: Roseflower - rose-colored she-cat, blue eyes

MEDICINE CAT: Duskfall - black tom, green eyes  
**APPRENTICE - HUSKPAW**

WARRIORS: Birdflight - brown-and-white tom, amber eyes

Nightstep - black-and-white she-cat, blue eyes

Whiteblossom - pure white she-cat, yellow eyes

Eastwind - golden brown tom, green eyes

Rabbitleap - brown tabby tom, amber eyes**  
APPRENTICE - TABBYPAW**

Longwhisker - gray-and-white she-cat with long whiskers, blue eyes

Desertbreeze - golden she-cat with white muzzle, yellow eyes

APPRENTICES: Huskpaw - white tom with golden patches, amber eyes

Tabbypaw - white she-cat with thick black stripes, blue eyes

QUEENS: Thickpelt - long-furred brown tabby she-cat, amber eyes (expecting Rabbitleap's kits)

Twistleaf - gray she-cat, yellow eyes (mother of Birdflight's kit: Frisk-kit - gray-and-white tom, blue eyes)

ELDERS: Blackwing - black she-cat, amber eyes

**XxXxXx**

**SHADOWCLAN**

LEADER: Snowstar - pure white tom, amber eyes  
**APPRENTICE - BEARPAW**

DEPUTY: Nightowl - black she-cat, green eyes

MEDICINE CAT: Shadowfern - dark gray she-cat, blue eyes

WARRIORS: Darkflower - dark brown she-cat, yellow eyes**  
****APPRENTICE - RAGGEDPAW**

Tawnyfur - mottled brown-and-white tom, amber eyes

Stripetail - pale gray she-cat with dark striped tail, amber eyes

Beetlefang - black-and-white tom, yellow eyes

Aspenclaw - dark gray tom, blue eyes

Mountainfall - small pale brown tom with black paws, green eyes

Westflame - dark gray she-cat, green eyes

APPRENTICES: Bearpaw - large brown tom with black ears, amber eyes

Raggedpaw - shaggy-furred gray she-cat, yellow eyes

QUEENS: Darkbird - dark brown tabby she-cat, blue eyes (expecting Snowstar's kits)

ELDERS: Hickorystem - pale gray-and-brown she-cat, amber eyes

Clawnose - ragged gray tom, green eyes

**xXxXxXx**

**PROLOGUE**

_The moon was a blur against _the darkened sky. It shone down on the forest below, flowing out to touch the shoreline, the pine trees, the riverbed at the far side of the lake, and the moor that ran on one side of the lush forest.

"Is it time?" asked a battle-scarred dark gray she-cat. Her flattened muzzle was furrowed into a frown as she looked to her companions that sat before and around her - a white tom, a brown tabby tom, a cream-and-brown she-cat, two blue-gray she-cats, and a flame-pelted tom.

One of the blue-gray she-cat's nodded solemnly. "It's time, Yellowfang," she meowed, leaning forward so that she could rest her tail on the fading she-cat's shoulders. "I am sorry, but this is the only way."

"There has to be another way!" the brown tabby tom protested loudly. "Surely there's a different resolution, Bluestar!"

"We can't change the fate of the Clans, Onestar," the other blue-gray she-cat said meekly. "It's just a matter of time now..."

"You know as well as I do, Mistystar, that this cannot happen," Onestar objected bluntly. "The Clans have lived on this lake for seasons - what good would it be to make them leave?"

"Apparently it is the duty of us as ancestors," muttered the white tom, scuffing one of his six-toed black paws on the starry ground.

"We inform the Clans of when a persistent problem arises," Yellowfang told the black-pawed tom discreetly. "You know that better than any cat, Blackstar." she looked around the circle of cats, meeting each of their gazes. "We all know that well enough..."

"Then this is it?" asked the cream-and-brown she-cat worriedly. The flame-colored tom rested his tail on her shoulders and nodded, to which the she-cat bellowed, "My beloved SkyClan... What will become of them?"

"SkyClan shall not be harmed drastically, Leafstar," Bluestar comforted the newest StarClan member. "In fact, it is wise if your Clan meets up with ours somewhere in the middle, where the living can become acquainted with one another."

"Firestar," Onestar meowed, turning towards the flame-colored cat who hadn't spoken all that time. "I hope you are happy, sending our Clans to their dooms."

Firestar rose to his paws, his green eyes flashing. Down below them all, a blast of lightning raged from the sky, flashing the world just as Firestar's eyes had. "It is not my own doing, Onestar," he chided lightly, his tail furrowing behind him, "It was the compromising of all of us. Don't blame such a callous thing on myself, because I am not sitting here to dawdle in your self-concieted ways."

"Our Clans are in peril whether they stay or leave," Mistystar soothed the two bristling toms. "It is best that they leave, where they can find a new home - for the benefit of all of them."

Firestar sat back, but Onestar remained standing; however, his pelt was beginning to flatten.

Bluestar looked around the circle, and together she and Yellowfang asked, "For the good of the Clans?"

The other four cats nodded, their eyes flashing in wisdom and heartache. "For the good of the Clans."

Down in the living world, the storms of defeat raged on...

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So this is my new/old story. I hope you all review and enjoy it!

The first two chapters are already finished from when I first got into writing this back forever ago - I'll post one per day, hopefully.

Regards,

Author xx


	2. Chapter One: norтнclaw oғ тнυnderclan

**I want to thank The Seventh Sage and EradrinSkyleaf for reviewing :). I love you both so much right now! :3**

**Let's get this started from a ThunderClan kitty! :3 I think you all will like him X3.**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

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chαptєr σnє - **thundєrclαn**

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_Sunlight streamed through a hole in the _warriors' den, warming Northclaw to a certain standpoint. The dark brown ThunderClan tom let out a meer purr at the way it warmed his flank and back; for a mere moment, Northclaw wished he could stay in here, under the sunlight, for as long as he could breathe.

But as far as Northclaw was concerned, living and breathing was _undoubtedly _better than sunlight on his pelt.

Sighing, the dark brown tom slowly got to his paws and shook out his pelt; doing so made it an even bigger mess than what it had been, and Northclaw smoothed it down rather quickly with his tongue. He had to look good today, for himself and his Clan; being Clan deputy under the rule of Hickorystar meant he had to look his best, otherwise he wasn't permitted to set a paw outside the den until he looked perfect to his peers - the cats he would one day lead, as Hickorystar often put it.

Satisfied with his washing, Northclaw padded out into the clearing. The sun shone brightly down on ThunderClan camp, and he longed to bask in the warming rays for just a small while. But he had patrols to make, and duty came before bashfulness in Northclaw's life; it always had, and it probably always would.

Northclaw shouldered his way through a massive crowd of cats waiting below Smoothstone, the place where Hickorystar made his announcements and performed ceremonies. His sharp and inquisitive green eyes settled on each of the cats' before him as he spoke in a high orderly fashion, "Tallstem, you lead a hunting patrol with Heatstep and Gorsewing..." he watched as the long-legged warrior did as he asked and gathered his cats, going out of camp swiftly. He turned back to his task, blinking at a blue-gray she-cat. "Lapshore, you can lead the second hunting patrol with Thistlepaw and Redstripe."

The she-cat nodded, gathered her apprentice and the white tom, and took off into the forest after Tallstem's patrol.

His eyes finally settled on the sole remaining cat - a brown-and-white she-cat. "Flightbird, you can join together with two other cats on a border patrol to ShadowClan."

The two she-cat's nodded and went to talk with Heatstep, the only other cat in camp that wasn't an apprentice, queen, medicine cat or leader. The two then bounded over to Thornpaw, the medicine cat apprentice; the tom happened to be sorting herbs out in the sunshine, while his mentor, Tornwing, was inside the den doing whatever. Northclaw watched as the tom shouted out to his mentor, Tornwing's calm reply seeming to say yes by the way the apprentice jumped to his paws and bounded after the two warriors, his tail waving behind him.

"You're getting pretty good at this," purred a voice behind him, and Northclaw pricked his ears. "For an apprentice just made a warrior, and now deputy... You have it all at your paws, Northclaw."

Northclaw turned his head and saw the she-cat Pinestep sitting a tail-length away, watching him. Her forest-green eyes were glimmering with wonder, and Northclaw felt his heart pounding in his chest; he had always had a crush on Pinestep, ever since they were kits together. But an accident with Cherrywing, the only living elder in ThunderClan at the time, forced the former ThunderClan leader Settingstar to postpone his apprentice ceremony. Pinestep had been an apprentice and a warrior before him, but his liking of her never lessened.

Northclaw nodded at the she-cat, forcing himself not to smile. "I guess I do, don't I?"

Pinestep settled down onto her belly and placed one casual, darker-spotted paw over the other. "Mhm," she mused, twitching her ear-tips. "Most definitely - any cat would give everything they have to be in your place..."

Northclaw couldn't help but smirk at that, and he found himself unwillingly asking, "Even you?"

The mottled brown warrior snorted playfully and scratched behind her ear with her hind paw. "Oh, no," she meowed, shaking her head. "I don't think the Clan would prefer to have a cat like me as the deputy - I'm too willing to help others in need, no matter what Clan they're in."

_That's true, _Northclaw thought. _You _did _help those RiverClan cats when the heat got to them and dried up the river - you fed them our prey for a little over a moon, around the same time that Settingstar came down with greencough..._

"But no matter, anyways." her voice snapped Northclaw from his thoughts as his eyes settled on hers again. "Hickorystar thought well, choosing you as deputy. You're a new warrior, young and indesicive; you'll need the guidance from both him and us, as warriors..." she blinked thoughtfully at him, and Northclaw felt the ends of his fur tingle. "You're going to find yourself asking us more questions than you did when you were an apprentice!"

"I did ask Shatterstep quite a lot of questions..." Northclaw admitted sheepishly, and he heard Pinestep purr in amusement.

"I should know, with him being my father!" Pinestep purred, rising to her paws and stretching. Her tail quivered behind her as she continued, "He told me everything you asked him one day - it was quite the mouthful, really..." her eyes shone in pride of her father, who now resided in the elders den. "But he taught you well - I hope that one day, you can - _will _\- do the same to your own apprentice." the she-cat turned around and waved her tail in farewell, her green eyes glowing. "Good day, Northclaw - I hope to be seeing you around some other time."

"You, too!" Northclaw called after her as she padded off towards the old holly bush and snuck inside. With a bounce in his step, Northclaw set out into the forest, the scent of Pinestep still fresh in his mind.

**xXxXxXxXx**

The day was still young when Northclaw padded into camp, his jaws feeling heavy under the weight of three pieces of prey. Though they were only mice, the animals were plump, perfect for a warrior or two. As he dropped two onto the fresh-kill pile, his gaze flickered to the nursery, where the queens Quietflame and Frostwind were sunning themselves outside. Quietflame's only kit, Littlekit, was batting at a twig while her mother watched, amusement and love shining in her bright yellow eyes.

Northclaw decided better of taking the mouse that was still hanging from his jaws for himself and instead padded over to the she-cats, placing the animal at Frostwind's paws.

The white she-cat opened her eyes and beamed at the sight of the mouse; then, noticing a pair of paws before her, she looked up into Northclaw's eyes and asked, "Is this for me?"

"The both of you," Northclaw inquired, to which Quietflame looked up from her daughter to him as well. The pale gray queen's eyes glimmered with thanks, and Frostwind purred at him, obviously pleased with his answer. "I - I mean, I didn't know if you'd already eaten, but if you have... I can take it." his stomach rumbled in pleasure at his words, and his mouth watered ravinously.

"I haven't had a decent meal all newleaf!" Frostwind meowed jokingly and shook her head, looking at Quietflame. "Have you, Quietflame?"

"Not that I can remember," the pale gray she-cat responded, her eyes still on Northclaw.

"We'll take it," Frostwind confirmed happily, and Northclaw's heart sank a small bit. "Thank you, Northclaw."

The brown tom dipped his head to the two queens, a slight pang in his chest. "You're welcome." he padded off in the direction of the pile again, the sound of Frostwind gossiping to Quietflame dying off as he got farther and farther away.

Not wanting to look self-concieted, Northclaw fished out a small finch from the bottom of the pile. He thanked StarClan for the life of the finch and padded over into the shade of an oak tree, settling down and beginning to tear the bird's feathers from its bony frame. As he did finished his meal, he allowed his gaze to travel around camp. Near the apprentices den, Lapshore and Heatstep were teaching Thornpaw and Thistlepaw how to do a low-belly swipe; at the base of Smoothstone Gorsewing, Flightbird, and Redstripe all sat talking to one another. Northclaw watched as Flightbird lightly shoved Redstripe, and their laughter floated from one end of the clearing and into the brown tom's ears. He watched as Tallstem padded over to Quietflame and rub muzzles with her before beginning to play with Littlekit, Quietflame watching her mate and daughter fondly. Frostwind rose to her paws and padded away to meet her mate, Heatstep, beside the apprentices den; the two mates brushed muzzles and Heatstep stopped his training session to focus on Frostwind.

Northclaw's heart thumped in his chest as Pinestep padded out of the warriors den, her pelt ruffled from sleep. She shook her pelt free of bracken strands and moss, licking her chest fur into smoothness; she then padded over to the fresh-kill pile and selected one of Northclaw's mice before looking around the clearing for a free spot to sit.

He hadn't noticed Pinestep had chosen a similar spot as him until her soft voice echoed in his ears: "Can I sit here?"

He looked to the spot next to him shyly, feeling his pelt growing warm and his face flush. He dragged his gaze up to hers as he meowed, "Sure, I guess."

Pinestep beamed brightly at him, smiling behind her mouse. "Thank you!" she settled down a pawstep out of reach from him, and for once Northclaw was glad for the barrier; any closer to the she-cat and Northclaw just might have pressed against her on 'accident'. Trying to keep himself busy, the dark brown deputy began to wash one of his forepaws, then the other, then his two back paws; though his mind wandered on the aspects of Clanlife, Northclaw found his eyes often dragging towards Pinestep. Whenever he caught it the tom mentally slapped himself in the face, scolding his eyes for even looking at a she-cat in such a profound way - even if it wasn't profound.

"How is deputyship? Is it treating you well?" Pinestep asked suddenly and Northclaw's tongue lolled out of his mouth as he flopped his back right paw on the ground.

"It'h goin' gid," the ThunderClan tom realized his speech inpediment a little too late and hurriedly stuck his tongue back in his mouth where it belonged. "U - uh, I mean... It's going good." his pelt grew hot again, and his ears flattened to his head in shame.

"That's great!" Pinestep mewed happily, his previous falter not seeming to faze her. "Do you like it?"

"Somewhat," Northclaw stated. "I mean, the early rising thing kind of catches up to me by sunhigh, but..."

"I can imagine," Pinestep agreed wholeheartedly. "I don't think I could do that - waking up just before dawn to make up patrols? Great StarClan, that must be hard!"

"At first, but by the fourth of fifth time you start getting used to rising up before the sun."

Pinestep nodded in agreement and rose to her paws, lapping at her paw before dragging up along her whiskers. "Yes, well... I still don't think I could do it." the she-cat looked back at him, her green eyes wistful as she padded away and began talking with Lapshore.

Northclaw felt a small smile creep onto his lips as he watched the one she-cat he loved, yet knew he couldn't have.

_Hickorystar says to look the best for your Clan - when in reality, I'm looking my best for her..._

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**Well. Yeah. :3**

**Long and nice, I guess. **

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


	3. Chapter Two: αírstєp σf skчclαn

**Chapter Two is already here?**

**Here's the next chapter - from SkyClan!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

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cнapтer тwo - **ѕĸyclan**

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_Airstep could smell fox._

Foxes rarely came around SkyClan territory - very seldom did any cat see them on patrol during the day or night. But now, when the sun was just beginning to rise over the treetops, the scent hit Airstep's nose; and it hit her like a cat twice her size, bowling her over in a battle.

Except she wasn't in a battle - but she was about to be if she didn't warn the others and get out of here.

"Fox!" she yowled to the sky, hoping that her companions would hear her from all the way up a tall birch tree. If they did, she could get out of here; if they didn't... well, she could still get out of here, right?

Wrong.

The leaves above her head shook and a brown-striped head appeared in Airstep's vision. "Fox? Is that what you said, Airstep?"

The white warrior snorted lamently and willed that the cat would scurry down the tree. "Yes, Vinetwist! We have to get out of here - fetch Pollendust and let's go before we're torn to shreds!"

Vinetwist's eyes flashed with annoyance but he didn't bother commenting on her order. Instead he flung himself higher and higher into the tree, Airstep bouncing from paw to paw anxiously. As Vinetwist's head reappeared through the foilage alongside Pollendust's gray pelt, Airstep felt her heart pounding in fear; once the two cats had placed all four of their paws on the ground, Airstep led the way, weaving in and out of trees while looking over her shoulder to make sure neither of her Clanmates had gotten snatched in the process of running.

Airstep burst into camp, flanked by Vinetwist and Pollendust. Her fur was on end and her eyes were wide as they flickered around the clearing, taking in how barely any cats were in camp; only Birdstar, Grassclaw, and them remained in area. The rest of them were hunting or checking the border that still stumped Airstep to this day; even as a warrior, she still wondered why SkyClan had such a useless border on their grounds.

"Airstep? Vinetwist?" Birdstar meowed as he spotted her and the dark tabby at the edge of the clearing. He rose to his paws and padded over to them, Grassclaw on his heels with herbs at the ready. Airstep knew the brown tabby she-cat was trying to be sensible, but Grassclaw couldn't waste any herbs; there hadn't been any sickness in SkyClan yet, but from the cold beginning to settle down in the territory it wouldn't be long until her den was full of sick and weakened cats. "Why are you three back so early?"

"There's a fox," Airstep mewed quickly, her tail swishing behind her. "I don't think the other patrols know - but they'll be torn to bits if they don't get back to camp!"

"Where exactly is the fox?" Birdstar asked calmly; Airstep wanted to smack the disbelief out of his eyes.

"It was scented on the far end of the treeline," Vinetwist meowed, sensing Airstep's growing annoyance. "Near the old barn at the top of the hill."

Birdstar's forehead furrowed and his lips settled into a thin line as he processed everything. "It's past our borders," he meowed, closing his eyes. "It won't come near; our scent is too strong and overpowering - the fox will surely know that something is there and won't pass over into the territory."

"How are you so sure?" Airstep objected, her dark gray striped paw batting at a fly that flew in front of her face.

"Foxes have come here before," Birdstar stated meekly.

"They've crossed into our border before too," Airstep responded as calmly as she could.

"That doesn't matter - they won't get inside the territory, Airstep. You're not to go fetch the other patrols and that's it."

"A fox doesn't know its left from right, Birdstar! It's surely going to come down that hill, not care about our markers and bound into camp sought after a cat's pelt!"

"My word is law, Airstep," Birdstar's voice was cold now, and his eyes were chips of ice. "You are to not, under any circumstances, go and get the other patrols - they have better things to do than to sit around camp while we wait for some fox _you _proclaimed would rain down on us!"

Airstep growled and padded away, her pelt bristling as she padded into the warriors den and sunk down into her nest, burying her muzzle in between her paws.

The cave in which she slept in darkened at the entrance. Looking up, Airstep saw that Vinetwist had entered the den and was coming towards her; the white she-cat growled and turned her back to him, curling her tail over her nose.

"Airstep..." Vinetwist's voice was quiet. "Airstep, I know you're awake."

Hissing in annoyance, the white warrior turned and faced her Clanmate, her eyes seething with anger. _Can't I do something in this camp worth while _without_ being disturb by a stubborn tom?!_

"You know," Vinetwist meowed, meeting her gaze, "Birdstar didn't mean -"

Airstep cut the brown tabby off with a loud groan. "Yes he did! He meant every word!"

Vinetwist shook his head, his eyes hardening. "You know how frail and distant Birdstar's mind is becoming, Airstep - he's on his last two lives. Soon he'll be in StarClan and Larkbeak will be leader; Larkbeak is more open to discussion and coming to a reasonable conclusion... Birdstar's, well, _not_."

_Didn't take a squirrel to figure that out. _

"Just give Birdstar a break, Airstep," Vinetwist meowed. The brown tabby tom then padded out of the cave, leaving Airstep's white form the only bright figure in the darkened space.

**XxXxXxXx**

Airstep padded into the clearing, her paws caked with mud. Rain had been pouring all night on SkyClan, and the coming dawn was no better; there were puddles outside every den and whenever an unsuspecting cat walked out of the cave, sleep still clear in their walk, they stumbled and collapsed into the mud, their fur getting all wet and murky. Her usually sleek white fur was now a dulling gray, her striped paws seeming to blend in with her pelt; she would have to go into the warriors den and sleep in order to get dry, but once she was half-asleep, she would just have to come out again into the cold.

"I hate rain," muttered Yellowfrost from beside Airstep; the two warriors were sitting outside the nursery, Yellowfrost keeping his mate Nightbird company while Airstep just sat there, due to the fact that she had no cat to sit by - or nowhere else to sit, really. So she was the lucky cat who got to sit next to hyperactive Yellowfrost and his grouchy-tail mate Nightbird until the storm was over and she - along with the rest of the Clan - was allowed to go on patrol again.

"I think we all do," Airstep commented blankly. "Any cat who enjoys rain is crazy."

Nightbird nodded in agreement, sticking her nose in the air. "My pelt is getting all wet! Yellowfrost, dearest, help me clean my fur once we're inside, would you?"

"Most definitely, love!" Yellowfrost purred as he followed his mate hurriedly inside the warm den. Airstrip wanted to gag on her own saliva at how sickening they were; googling and cooing at one another every second of the day, Nightbird purring constantly and fussing over her pelt... Yellowfrost stealing nearly all the prey to ensure that his mate was healthy and eating well, all the while causing his Clanmates to starve before him.

It made Airstep sick to her stomach.

_I hope I never have a mate - I couldn't handle that._

Rising to her paws, Airstep made her way into the warriors' den. With a nod to Duskstreak and Froststorm the white she-cat curled up in her nest, draped her tail over her eyes and fell into an awaited sleep.

**xXxXxXxX**

"Let all cats join beneath Leapingstone for a Clan meeting!" Birdstar's call snapped Airstep out of her slumber. The white warrior pushed herself to her paws and padded after a few of her Clanmates outside into the clearing; the rain had stopped, thank StarClan, but the ground was still muck and grass all mixed into one. Slipping in between Coaldust and Frecklespot, the white she-cat dug her claws into the mud and looked up at her leader expectantly.

"SkyClan," Birdstar began profoundly, his dark eyes scanning all his cats. "You all know how difficult it is to live in this gorge, in this hollowed space where the rain seems to hit the hardest and drought seems to swallow up everything instantly; we have survived here for many seasons, since Leafstar and Sharpstar once led this great Clan..." he trailed off, seeming to thank his dead mother for what she had bestowed upon him. "But now the rain, the snow, the droughts... it's all becoming too much for this hollow. We are just another force of nature tearing the hollow apart, and in that sense we are killing it as slowly as drought would."

His eyes met Airstep's; the white warrior flinched at the cold ferocity in his eyes.

Birdstar's eyes did not leave hers as he yowled, "SkyClan, we must leave our home!"

A wide crackle of outrage sparked in several cats; Airstep's ears rang with the bellows, whimpers of fear, and unsheathing of claws.

"Preposterous!" Duskstreak growled loudly.

"We can't leave the hollow, Birdstar!" cried Nightbird and Sharpwind from the edge of the clearing.

"I don't want to leave - I like my home!" Applepaw whined to her father, Vinetwist; the brown tabby murmured something in her ear to calm her, but Airstep couldn't figure out what it was.

"We're dying alongside the gorge," muttered Pollendust, who sat in front of Airstep. She was leaning in to discuss something with Froststorm, to which Airstep heard or saw nothing but the nodding or shaking of their heads.

"This is blasphomy!" Coaldust hissed from beside her; Airstep looked to her sister, noting how the black she-cat's distinctive white muzzle was curved in a snarl. She turned to Airstep and Frecklespot, her yellow eyes seething. "Does Birdstar really think the Clan is going to do such a thing?"

Airstep shrugged while Frecklespot shook her head in agreement with Coaldust. On one paw, leaving the hollow would be the best option, as one too many leafbares were beginning to wear on the hollow's rocks and caves; but on the other paw, it wouldn't be the ideal option as many cats had grown up here, and leaving the hollow was like taking away all the prey in the forest to them. Even Airstep and Coaldust had grown up on this ground...

"Quiet!" Larkbeak's snarl of order snapped every cat's jaw shut; even Coaldust stopped complaining, noticing how angered the SkyClan deputy was. "Allow your leader and elders to speak!"

Airstep's gaze was dragged up to Leapingstone, where Birdstar sat in a calm position beside Redspark and Windstep, the two elders in the Clan. Redspark's dulling reddish-tabby fur was patching with flecks of gray, though her eyes were still clear with concern for her Clan; Windstep sat with his tail curled over his paws, his eyes giving nothing away.

Redspark took the opportunity to speak first, stepping up to the edge of Leapingstone. "You all have excellent points regarding our home," the old she-cat rasped. "However, this hollow cannot hold us much longer. It is decreasing in size, from all the damage the past leafbares and droughts have brought to it... I agree with Birdstar - SkyClan should leave the hollow."

The she-cat stepped back, allowing Windstep to take over.

The ragged tom coughed for a moment before rising to his unsteady paws; unable to walk fairly well on his own, he remained standing in place. "SkyClan has lived in this gorge for many seasons," he began, his legs wobbling as he fought to keep himself from sitting back down. "Damage as been brought to it tremendously. What good are we doing by staying here? Sure, this place is where most of us have grown up as kits; but think about how relentless this place will become in a season or so, when it can no longer hold itself in place. We will die here if we stay - we will live longer if we leave."

"Thank you, Windstep," Birdstar murmured, and the graying elder flopped down onto his haunches, his eyes burning with relief. The cream and brown tom padded to the edge of the Leapingstone and stared at all his cats, as if he expected one to object to what the elders' said. "It is settled, then - SkyClan will, in fact, leave this hollow for the benefit of us all."

"When?" called Applepaw; the mottled brown she-cat was sitting up near Larkbeak, and her eyes were wide. "When are we leaving?"

Airstep's belly crawled with fear as Birdstar answered the apprentice. "We leave in one moon."

"One?" Nightbird howled; though Airstep couldn't see her, she imagined the expecting queen's fur was bristling. "Just one moon? My kits won't be born then!"

"Neither will mine!" Sharpwind added hastily.

_You aren't even looking like you're expecting, Sharpwind... _Airstep wanted to challenge but held her tongue.

"I understand that," Birdstar tried to soothe. "But the Clan needs to leave as soon as possible - you birthing kits won't hold us back."

"They should!" defended Yellowfrost; Airstep could just see his golden-tufted ear-tips from where she sat.

"Silence!" snarled Birdstar, his neck fur ruffling. Airstep willed the golden tom and his mate to shut their mouths; Birdstar wasn't one to take challenge lightly - she should know, having challenged him more times than either of them could count. "SkyClan is leaving in one moon - _one_! Your pregnancy, Nightbird, will _not _hold us back from saving ourselves!" the cream and brown leader glared at the queen and Yellowfrost once more before turning tail and beginning to held Redspark and Windstep down from Leapingstone. "Meeting dismissed!" he yowled just as he was grabbing Redspark's scruff and hauling her gently down to the ground.

Airstep watched the Clan disperse around her, Coaldust leaving her side to go inside the warriors' den. Most cats stayed out in the clearing, muttering to themselves and throwing seething looks at Birdstar.

_Oh, StarClan... I hope you know what we're about to do..._

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**Chapter Three should be up fairly fast!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


	4. Chapter Three:

**This chapter is shorter than others, by quite a lot; sorry! The next chapter will have more action, hopefully.**

**Anyways, here this next chapter - from RiverClan!**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**

* * *

cнapтer тнree - **rιverclan**

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_"Come on, Southbreeze," Rushingwater meowed quietly_, "Just one more now..."

"This is insane," the blue-gray she-cat groaned. "How do mothers do this?"

"I'm not sure," Rushingwater purred jokingly, "But just think - your kits are going to be great warriors!"

_Just like their father... _Southbreeze ground her teeth as another wave of pain washed over her stomach; acting quickly, the laboring queen grasped the stick that was near her head and bit down just as a final kit slipped out into the world. She sank back into her nest of moss, exhaustion dragging at her bones and begging her to sleep.

"Oh, look at them Southbreeze!" came the soft voice of Reedrush, the other queen inside the nursery; a high-standard warrior along with Southbreeze's sister, the sleek brown tabby was expecting her longtime crush, Timberfall's, kits. "They're precious!"

The new mother raised her head from her paws and peered over her belly, gazing at her kits. She looked to Rushingwater, who was packing up herbs into leaf bundles and asked, "How many of each?"

"Two she-cats and a tom," Rushingwater mewed, not looking up from her task.

Southbreeze opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by a shrill demanding cry of authority: "Can I come in now, Rushingwater?"

The brown tabby medicine cat rolled her eyes and snorted. "Yes, you can!" she called, her tail-tip twitching crossly as a broad, large dark gray tom entered the den. His yellow eyes searched for his mate, but once they settled onto Southbreeze's amber, he quickly padded forward and touched his nose to her ear, purring in pride.

"Two she-cats' and a tom," Southbreeze murmured happily, a purr overtaking her entire body.

"Three?" the tom pulled away from Southbreeze and whirled on Rushingwater, his tail fanning out behind him. "You said there were _four_!"

Rushingwater met the tom's stern gaze calmly. "Every cat makes mistakes," she mewed, flicking her tail. "I'm not one to assume the worst, mind you."

The tom's neck fur was bristling, and Southbreeze wrapped her tail protectively around her kits. "I told Duckstar we had an even number of kits - not odd!"

"You should be thankful they're alive!" Rushingwater shot back. "Or would you like me to kill them off so that they're stillborn just like the fourth?"

Southbreeze flinched at the cold anger that was in the medicine cat's tone, and her eyes were dragged off of the two fueding cats to a little bundle of wet fur just off to the side of her nest. A small black tom, Rushingwater had reported to her; alive one minute, gone the next... it had all happened so fast that Southbreeze hadn't had time to grieve over her lost kit. It stabbed at her heart now, threatening to overpower her emotions; but she had three healthy and living kits - that was all that mattered to her now.

Rushingwater's voice came through Southbreeze's mind, cutting off her thoughts. "... Southbreeze, I am sorry for what I said - I wasn't thinking..."

The queen turned towards the medicine cat and purred at her; though it hurt her immensely, it wouldn't for long. "It's all right, Rushingwater," she mewed, gazing at the three squirming kits at her somtach once more. "At least I have three that are healthy."

"Three," muttered the tom, who sat a little ways behind the medicine cat, "not four..."

Southbreeze stared at her mate. "It shouldn't matter the number, Sharkclaw," she said hotly, "just that you're a father and I'm a mother. Number doesn't matter to me, so it shouldn't to you - just be happy that we're parents, please..."

Sharkclaw muttered something under his breath before padding over to her and settling down on his haunches, not looking at her or the kits. "What're we going to name them?" he asked gruffly, his tail brushing against Southbreeze's back.

The blue-gray queen looked down at the oldest kit; a brown tabby she-cat with wide paws, "Her pelt looked like an otter's, and so do her paws..." Southbreeze murmured. "How about Otterkit?"

Sharkclaw huffed in reply, saying nothing.

She then looked to the second and third; a blue-gray tom, just like her, and a pale gray she-cat with white rings around her eyes. "Curlewkit and Podkit," Southbreeze decided, blinking fondly at the two bundles of fur. Curlewkit lightly bumped against Podkit, to which the little she-cat let out a cry before going back to nursing. Now, all three of her kits' had names and were purring in delight as they nursed; Southbreeze couldn't help but purr herself, and watched as Sharkclaw padded out of the den without so much as a goodbye to her.

"What about the fourth, sister?" Reedrush asked delicately, placing the little black tom into her vision. Southbreeze gazed sadly at the little life she had brought into the world only to have him taken away; but he was up in StarClan now, with her parents Lilystream and Branchclaw... he would be well taken care of - she knew it.

"Scalekit," Southbreeze meowed, curling up around her three living kits, her head on her paws as she gazed at Scalekit before she was taken away by sleep.

**XxXxXxXx**

Southbreeze stared at the sky through a patch in the nursery; dark rain clouds loomed over her head, threatening to spill all their contents on the Clans.

"It's going to be raining for moons on end with all this," muttered Reedrush.

"I hope the other Clans know how to swim!" joked Southbreeze as she averted her mind and eyes to her kits; now at three moons old Otterkit, Curlewkit, and Podkit were growing up well. They had all opened their eyes shortly after they were born; both Otterkit and Podkit had their mother's amber eyes. Curlewkit, however, was the odd duckling and had blue; Southbreeze often wondered how in StarClan he got blue, but it didn't lessen her affection for her son any less. Even if he would have been born blind, her love for him - either of her kits - wouldn't falter at all.

"I just hope the lake swells up again," Reedrush commented. "After that long drought we had, I'm sure all of the Clans could use some fresh water."

Southbreeze nodded, taken away by the past; over two moons ago, a heated drought swept through the Clans, causing many cats to die of dehydration. Southbreeze had lost her parents to the drought, along with her brother Fishfang; their deaths had hit her and Reedrush hard, and for a while the siblings hardly talked to any cat. But now, four moons later, their deaths had pushed themselves into the back of Southbreeze's mind, and they would stay there until she joined them in StarClan.

"Come on," Reedrush's fur brushing against her shoulder startled Southbreeze out of her daze. "Duckstar's called a meeting - we have to go."

Blinking at her brown tabby sister, the blue-gray she-cat followed her solemnly out into the clearing. Wind buffeted her pelt as she ordered her kits to stay inside where it was warm and free of the droplets of rain that were now spilling out of the clouds.

"But we want to come!" Curlewkit mewled. Otterkit stuffed her sibling back into the den and sent a look to a curious Podkit, who was raising a paw to step out into the real world.

"I'll watch them!" Otterkit promised, and Southbreeze purred lightly at her daughter before turning and meeting Reedrush at the edge of the clearing, where she could watch Duckstar while keeping an eye on her kits.

The massive golden-and-white tom was standing up on the Stoneledge, his amber eyes cascading around the clearing. "The Gathering is tonight, as most of you know. The cats I have chosen to accompany myself, Rushingwater and Pebbleskip are as follows: Timberfall, Sandpaw, Splashpaw, Streampool, Fogstep, Minnowsplash and Southbreeze." The RiverClan leader twitched his ears and leaped down so that his paws touched ground again, calling to the cats as he did so. "We leave now!"

Southbreeze quickly looked at her sister, and Reedrush let out a purr and touched her nose to the blue-gray queen's ear. "I'll watch them," she murmured.

Southbreeze blinked her thanks before launching herself after the other cats; she met up with Timberfall and Splashpaw, matching pace with them easily as the patrol made their way towards the island. The blue-gray she-cat's fur tingled with worry; she wondered how the other Clans were doing, and how her best friend Whiteblossom was doing in WindClan. The white warrior had informed Southbreeze at the previous Gathering that WindClan wasn't doing very well with hunting or borders, and that ThunderClan was straying too close to their scent markers. Southbreeze hoped that a battle wouldn't break out against the two Clans, knowing that was not what any of them needed in such a time.

Duckstar stopped at the edge of the trees, turning and looking at his cats. "Remember, RiverClan - this Gathering might end well, or it might not. Have your ears pricked, your eyes alert and your claws at the ready; a fight might provoke between ThunderClan and WindClan, and if it be necessary we will intervene."

With Duckstar's words in mind, Southbreeze followed her Clanmates into the foilage and into the tension-filled Gathering.

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**Oooh, a Gathering already? I'm so cruel...**

**Regards,**

**Author xx**


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